1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a counter. The body of the counter has a support surface on which goods are displayed which, on the side facing the customer, are usually covered by a glass pane. Within the body of the counter the lower ends of supports are fastened. Above the body of the counter, a glass pane is provided which can be pivoted about a horizontal axis between a closed position covering the goods on the support surface of the body of the counter, on the one hand, and an open position allowing access to the goods, on the other hand. Joint members are connected by means of a pivot bearing with the support and project at the support end where they have securing means for a glass pane. The joint members with the glass pane fastened on its securing means form a modular unit which is pivotable about a horizontal axis defined by the pivot bearings between a closed position covering the goods on the support surface and an open position allowing access to the goods. The joint member has an extension arm whichxe2x80x94viewed in the closed positionxe2x80x94extends in the longitudinal direction of the support. Upon pivoting of the modular unit from its closed position into its open position, the center of gravity of the modular unit is moved from an initial position located on one side relative to the pivot axis into an end position located on the oppositely positioned side of the pivot axis. A parallelogram linkage is provided between the glass pane and the body of the counter and is comprised of a pivot arm and a guide member. The first ends of the pivot arm and of the guide member, at a spacing to one another, are connected to the glass pane and are movable together with the glass pane. The second ends of the pivot arm and of the guide member, also at a spacing to one another, are connected stationarily on the support of the body of the counter in a pivotal way.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Counters are known (DE 35 03 340 A1) in which the glass pane is pivotably supported by means of a swivel head at the upper end portion of the support. From the closed position, the glass pane can be pivoted into an open position as far as permitted by the support. In the open position, the center of gravity of the modular unit is still positioned on the same side relative to the pivot bearing. Moreover, provisions are to be made in order to secure the open position of the modular unit and to prevent an accidental closing of the modular unit. The course of the pivot movement of the modular unit can be controlled by control members. A rod-shaped force storage device, such as a gas spring, arranged in the interior of the hollow profile is used as a control member, wherein the upper rod end of the gas spring is connected to the swivel head and the lower rod end is stationarily connected in the interior of the hollow profile of the support.
In the known counter (DE 41 10 942 A1), between the glass pane and the body of the counter a parallelogram linkage is arranged which is comprised of a pivot arm and a guide member. The respective ends of the pivot arm and of the guide member, spaced at a distance by to one another, are connected, on the one hand, to the glass pane and, on the other hand, stationarily on the support in a pivotable way. By means of this parallelogram linkage the center of gravity of the pivotable parts in the open position can be moved to such an extent that, relative to the initial position in the open position, it is located on the opposite side of the pivot axis. Accordingly, a torque acts in the opening direction on the glass pane. Accordingly, constructively an uncontrolled closing of the pivotable parts is prevented. The movement of the center of gravity during opening and closing of the glass pane requires a considerable force expenditure, in particular, during acceleration at the beginning of the pivot movement as well as during braking at the end of the pivot movement. This acceleration and braking work is provided manually by the user. This work, in particular, for large glass panes which are very heavy, is very great. Control members for the course of the pivot movement have not been provided. To provide them in the form of gas springs would be difficult in the case of the known parallelogram linkages. They would be space-consuming and would impair the pleasant appearance of the counter.
The invention has the object to develop an attractive counter of the aforementioned kind such that its handling during opening and closing of the glass pane is easily carried out. This is achieved according to the invention in that the course of the pivot movement of the glass pane is determined by control members which are comprised of a force-loaded push member and are guided along the support, in that between the pivot arm and the push member a linkage is arranged which converts the pivot movement of the linkage arm into a longitudinal movement of the push member, and in that the push member is loaded by two independent forces, wherein one force load acts in the closed position of the glass pane and the other acts in its open position onto the push member.
Because the joint member is extended by an arm, having arranged at its lower arm area the pivot bearing, the center of gravity of the modular unit during pivoting into the open position can be displaced so far that, relative to the initial position in the closed position of the modular unit, it reaches a position on the opposite side of the pivot axis. Accordingly, a torque acts on the glass pane in the opening direction. This means that already by means of this constructive measure an uncontrolled closing of the modular unit from the open position is prevented. There is no risk of injury. According to the invention, mounting and manipulation of space-requiring measures for securing the open position are no longer needed.
Inasmuch as, the pivotable modular unit is a structure that is rigid within itself, according to the invention a substantially greater pivot angle between the open position and the closed position is also obtained as a result of the arm extending the joint member. In the open position, the free end of the glass pane is pivoted away to such an extent that the support surface of the body of the counter is entirely exposed and especially easily accessible.
Another possibility of special inventive importance resides in that the modular unit is comprised of two partial modular groups which are movable relative to one another. In this connection, it is recommended to provide a horizontal rotary axis between the two partial modular groups as well as a guide member which upon pivoting of the modular unit generates a rotation of the glass pane which is superimposed on the pivot movement. The goal is a defined open position of the glass pane where the free edge of the glass pane has a position according to certain requirements.
Such a requirement can be, in particular, to transfer the free edge of a curved glass pane, which is referred to as a xe2x80x9cpanoramic panexe2x80x9d, in the open position into a position where it extending shortly above the supports and is substantially horizontal. In this connection, the edge of the glass pane is also a so-called xe2x80x9cspit protectionxe2x80x9d for the goods that are present on the support surface of the body of the counter. This is, in particular, suitable when employing the counter for self-service by customers where the customers themselves can remove the goods from the counter. The edge of the glass pane then acts as a roof which partially covers the support surface of the counter. In the open position the counter according to the invention has an especially pleasing appearance; it has an elegant appearance in comparison to counters with a rigid modular unit frame. As a result of the rotary axis between the two partial modular units the glass pane can rotate back upon pivoting.in the counter direction. The free end of the glass pane in this open position does not reach extremely high positions. Accordingly, the rooms where such a counter according to the invention is positioned does not require a high ceiling. Moreover, gripping the free edge of the glass pane, positioned in the open position, of the counter according to the invention is comfortably possible for the purpose of moving the modular unit back into the closed position.
In order to facilitate the course of the pivot movement of the modular unit during the transition from the closed position to the open position, force-loaded control members are used. They can be realized in three simple ways.